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Boris Babochkin

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Boris Babochkin was a famous actor and director from Russia.

Babochkin Chapayev1
Babochkin Chapayev1

He was known all over the world for his work in film and theater. Boris lived a very long life in the world of art. He spent over 55 years performing for many different people. During this time, he played more than 200 roles on stage. He also appeared in 25 movies and television shows. His most famous role was in the 1934 film Chapaev. This single part made him a global star.

Babochkin Chapayev1
Babochkin Chapayev1

Boris grew up in a home filled with learning. He was born on January 18, 1904, in Saratov. This city sits on the large Volga River. His father was a successful merchant and trader. His mother was a school teacher who loved classical books. Because of her, Boris grew up around great stories. He and his brother even did amateur acting as children. At age 14, Boris joined the Red Army for one year. He served near the Volga and the Urals. He served with a commander named Chapayev. Boris would later play this same man in a movie.

Babochkin Chapayev1
Babochkin Chapayev1

His path to fame involved many different cities. Boris first studied at a drama school in Saratov. He then moved to Moscow to study with Michael Chekhov. Later, he worked with the Molodye Mastera studio. Boris traveled to many places to find work. He performed in Moscow and Saratov in Russia. He also acted in Samarkand and Bishkek in Central Asia. He worked in Voronezh and Mogilev in Belarus. He even performed in Berdichev in Ukraine.

Babochkin Chapayev1
Babochkin Chapayev1

Life was not always easy for the famous actor. In the 1950s, Boris played a character named Klaverov. This character was a corrupt politician in a play called Shadows. This role made the Soviet leaders very angry. A leader named Yekaterina Furtseva used her power against him. She used censorship to control what actors could do. Furtseva banned the play and stopped his work. Boris could not get new jobs for three years. He was eventually forced to apologize to the Communist Party. After this, he could only play good, positive characters.

Babochkin Chapayev1
Babochkin Chapayev1

Even with these hard times, Boris stayed busy with art. He taught many students at the Moscow State Film Institute. He became a professor there in 1966. He also wrote books about his life and his work. One book, called In Theatre and Film, was a bestseller. Boris won many important prizes during his life. He received the Stalin Prize twice in 1941 and 1951. He also won the USSR State Prize after he died. Boris died of a heart attack in Moscow in 1975.

Babochkin Chapayev1
Babochkin Chapayev1
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